"Pokémon GO" is a legitimate phenomenon. Everyone is playing it. It's almost transcended the "video game" label and become a way of life for millions of people, as you can't go to a public space in a decently populated city without seeing people with their eyes glued to their phones.

The Pokemon Company

So, what do people love so much about it? If you're still on the fence about getting into it, here are just a few of the reasons why it's such a big deal.

1/

Exploration is rewarding.

Niantic/The Pokémon Company

"Pokémon GO" separates itself from most other video games in that its core mechanic is getting out of your house and walking around. Sure, you could drop some incense and let the Pokémon come to you for half an hour, but that will only get you so far. You'll only get Poké Balls and other useful items from Pokéstops, which are situated at real-life landmarks.

I've discovered countless murals, community art installations and unique little shops in my neighborhood that I didn't know about before in my hunt for Pokémon. It's encouraging me to go places I never would have gone before, and that's amazing. "Pokémon GO" does a great job of providing the sense of adventure that's inherent to the franchise.

2/

It brings people together.

Jacob Shamsian/INSIDER

The other night, I put down a lure module on a PokéStop (which lures more Pokémon to the stop) in the park across from my apartment. At 10 p.m., with a slight drizzle coming down, several people showed up within minutes. I didn't talk to any of them, but we exchanged a few knowing glances at each other before going on our way.

How cool is that? While there's definitely potential for that to be exploited for sinister means, you could also potentially meet friends through gotta-catch-'em-all solidarity. The old "Pokémon" games did this on the school playground by encouraging players to link up their GameBoy consoles and trade Pokémon, and now "Pokémon GO" is doing it across the world.

3/

It's Pokémon!

The Pokemon Company

If it wasn't obvious already, Pokémon wasn't just a quick fad in the late 1990s like Furbies or a federal surplus. Its popularity hasn't waned, and if anything, "Pokémon GO" is making it more popular than ever.

There's a special charm to seeing a Slowpoke show up on your way to work, or having a Goldeen hatch from an egg because you walk two kilometers. "Pokémon GO" is surely providing tons of nostalgia for twenty-somethings who are already obsessed with their phones and who fondly remember the original generation of Pokémon.